The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-01-12
IN THE LAND OF TEA
Minister Denby's Visit to FOO-ChOw, and Wha
BE Saw There.
An Interesting Description of n Tea Plan
tation-Features of the Tea
Trade.

of the province of Flu Kien. IL lies at
point thirty-four miles from the mouth OF
The Min River. IL is Chinese popularity
that there are few cities of importance the
sea coast. Thus, Shanghai, Tientsin, Canton,
Hankow, Waukin and many others are on
rivers
Seven miles above Foo-chow the Min di-
vides thus making long and narrow island.
On this island the foreigners reside. 1t is
connected with the northern bank OF the
: river by the "Bridge of the Ten Thousand
Ages" This bridge is 500 years old. 1t is
about a quarter of a mile long and thirteen
feet broad. The buttresses are of granite, and
npon them are laid granite slabs forty or
fifty feet long There are various peddl RS
of fruits and provisions who have stands on
the bridge.
On entering the Min you pass the 'White
Dog Islands and sail through the narrow
Kin-pai and Min-ugsn passes On either
side are towering cliffs, clad, when saw them,
with the verdure of spring. There are no
trees, but the hills are terraced and cultivated.
As / had never seen the Rhine, | compared
the scenery with the Hudson. But it is
said very much to resemble the Rhine. Ger
tainlv there are no more charming scenes
than the narIows opening into bays with the
green hills coming TO the waters edge On
either side are forts bristling with artil' cry,
but giving no sign OF Hfe-Sleeping until
some other invasion shall awake them.
Ten miles below FOochow you drop
anchor at the Pagoda anchorage, so called
from great pagoda on the bank. This was
the scene of the French attack in August,
1874. Here, without warning, the French
feet opened their guns on the unsuSpectiog
Chinese vessels, and killed great numbers of
men with scarcely any resistance. The
French shelled the arsenal and the forts.
Not much damage was done to the arsenal.
1t had been built by the French, and either
they had q tender feeling for it or there
seemed no object in destroying it. Bat sew
eTal Chinese ships were sunk.
Leaving the Marion the morning after her
arrival in the genial company of the accom-
plisbed Consul Mr.. Wingate, in a steam
/. launch we sped up the river. About half
way up we passed Ku Sbsu, or Drum Mount
ain, 5000 feet high Half way up the mount
ain is large Buddhist monastery, to which,
IN the summer, the foreigners resort for
health and pleasure. The river was covered
with sampans. The ex pertness of the native
IN navigation is remarkable. As the ship
came up the river at speed of eight or zen
knots an hour sampan would approach close
10 her side, a rope would be thrown over
her iron Sanctions, the sampan for mo-
Iaent would hold fast. and In that moment
men would spring on the ship, and the next
moment the sampan was loose and far
asteTn. Such bOarderS were seized by the
guard and compelled to remain on the gang.
way over the ships side until she stopped.
The island, like ali the settlements where the
foreigners live, has a race-track club house,
boat houses, etc. The houses are large, airy,
1t is a continual contest with the sun here.
Frost and ice are very rare. Summer heat
varies from So to 90o and summer lasts
from May to September The mercury in
winter rarely falls below $50
+, Like all other Chinese cities, Foo-ohow is
walled, but there are great suburbs outside
of the walls The general characteristics of
Chinese cities are reproduced here-the mar
row streets, the open shop fronts. the vast
crowds of men bearing burdens. There are
ol,ov.I
everything, is carried on a bamboo pole
On the shoulder supporting the burden at
either end. Among the curiosities are figures,
vases, models Of pagodas ETC., carved in soap
stone These articles are cheap, aud the
tourist buys card plate or an image as q
souvenir of his visit. There is much lacquer
ing done here, and bronzes and porcelain are
exposed for sale. did not see the cor morant
fishing but there are numbers of these birds
used for that purpose. The birds are about
the size of goose and OF a dark, dingy color
The fisherman throws bird from his raft
1t dives for fish and brings it to the surface
In its mouth. Around the birds neck Is q
ring or string, which prevents its swallow
ing the fish. The fisherman slips a net
under the bird, brings it aboard and removes
the fish from its mouth.
The Methodist Mission, under charge of
Rev. Mr.. Nathan Sites, is, perhaps, the finest
-in.China. There are day schools and BOARDING
schools. Miss Fisher and Miss Jewel are
ing located beautifully on the bluR. A
wealthy Chinaman, Mr.. Hog, gave $40, 900 to
buy this college, which was the residence of
wealthy foreigner. He reserves a hand
some parlor in the building where he
selves guests He has two stores, and large
family, all OF whom are christians. One
half of his house is furnished in the Chinese
fashion and the other in foreign mode. When
he was converted he burned his idols shut up
his stores on Sunday and conformed entirely
N r mo Ia nd fai rfo
family entertained our party at tifIin.
The American Board also has large hos
pital, schools and grounds Rev. Charles
Hartwell, who has been many years in
China, is at the head Of this mission. We
passed q most delightful evening at Mr..
HartwelPs house, remain ed with him all
night, and the next morning went with him
for an excursion to the tea districts From
his house we walked in the evening to the
top Of high hill, on which pretty temple
Is located. Here was q monster banyan tree
growing apparently. out of the solid rock.
in this temple is the image Of lady In
white, called the White Lady of Mercy
There are besides the great gilt gods. which
are everywhere in China, but which can
better describe when come to write of the
temples near Pekin, in which all the
foreigners pass the summer months. The
schools of the American Board Mission are
- IN hourishing condition. The boys drilled
for us and went through exercises with
DCuo III q pcIlcCb mduleI. 10 Keep
up the American passion for oratory. little
= speeches were made by the minister at each of
these schools, which were translated by the
missionaries. They had at least one virtue
Shey were very short
May IA, with the Consul and Mr.. Hartwell,
We started on what proved to be the most
entertaining trip of the whole tour. We
went uD the Paelin Hills to the great tea
district. The hill is nearly Q 600 feet high
We were carried in sedans to the
foot of the hill-about seven miles
and thenceforward we walked. We
went up a narrow, paved walk which
circuitously goes up he hill. There were
thousands OF carriers bringing down tea
The tea is carried in chests weighing sixty
pounds, one chest being at each end of a
bamboo pole carried on the shoulder. There
are at least 49, 600 men engaged in this car
Iying. You pass crowds of them coming
down, and you see immense numbers going
mp, carrying only the stick or some pro.
visions. There are many women engaged in
the business, some of a curious race. who
wear an unusual head-drna and cIafn m - 10